From being an Abandoned who had rarely left the Hollowed Grounds, to embracing the call of adventure, to dying and being reborn first as an Ascended and then as an Ancient, Maea has gone through quite the amount of changes in her life. One thing remains common, though, in her attempts to find out just where she belongs; she’s always had a craving for knowledge which has brought her to so many places and to meet so many people here in Caido. We can’t wait to see what else is in store for her!
Congratulations, Maea!
Credits
Court of the Fallen was created in October of 2018 by Odd, Honey, and Crooked.
Skinning and hosting by the epically talented Kaons, and functionality fanciness by the coding magic of Neowulf. If you ever see either of them around, make sure to show them some love!
"You're right, of course. Here is to a swift hunt and a safe return, then," Isla agrees, lifting her teacup in a toast before bringing it to her lips again. She nods for Darkeye to continue with his questions as his charcoal moves across the page, the doctor lowering her cup to set it balancing on the arm of her chair.
"I don't know much of the Blight, I'm afraid," she says apologetically. "I wasn't around when it happened. The Longnight monsters, though, are something I am more familiar with." Intimately, one might say. "They were mistakes, as I understand. Failed experiments gone awry. The Ascended banded together a year or two ago to eradicate them. I heard that one managed to escape through a portal to Halo. I hope it was the last."
sooner or later, we all have to wake and try forgetting everything
04-03-2022, 09:07 PM (This post was last modified: 04-03-2022, 09:07 PM by Darkeye.)
DARKEYE
Darkeye raised his cup as well and smiled at it.
"Then I won't ask you any more about the Blight. But if you have more input about the LongNIght monsters, I'd be grateful. The one that escaped to Halo is said to have killed people and you are accused of intent. For one Portal was a being Secreficed for the Greatwood portal a creature sacred to fairies. I do not want to attack here. I just want to see the points I've been told from the other side to get an idea of the situation." He said frankly and honestly.
"Intent?" Isla furrows her brow, though she does offer a smile to Darkeye. "I take no offence, I assure you. But I can promise that we didn't intentionally release a monster. In fact, two Ascended were responsible for helping to defeat it in Halo, putting their own lives in danger. They were as surprised as any one else that it appeared."
Sipping again at her tea before putting down the cup, she considers the Greatwood portal with a soft shake of her head. "I think the portals were put in place even before the barrier," she admits. "So that may well have been the Voice's doing. If so, I can only apologise for the harm caused to the Fae. But I don't know how to reverse it."
sooner or later, we all have to wake and try forgetting everything
Darkeye raised his hands. "No, I'm not accusing you of that, it's what I've heard, I don't want to take sides in this. I don't know what you've heard about it, but I want to tell you so that you understand how they feel about you. That's why when I make a statement like that, it's from this book. It's information I've gathered from my previous trips. My opinion has no place in it. I only ask questions to satisfy my curiosity. I don't want to command anyone or impose my opinion. I just want to understand. If you could help me in this regard, I would be grateful," he said politely, trying to sound as friendly as possible.
Darkeye wrote it down. "I see, thank you for that frank and honest answer."
"It is alright, I don't take anything you say personally," Isla assures him. "And I know that some will believe we are responsible for Longnight monster attacks no matter what you say to them. But we found them just as dangerous as anyone else. I am praying that there are no further mishaps this Longnight." For it to be quiet for the first time since Isla can remember. That would be a true miracle.
Nodding, she finishes her tea and sets her cup down again. "Is there anything else I can help you with?" she asks. "I am not sure there is anything else to share, not that I remember here and now, anyway. But if I do think of something, I will let you know."
sooner or later, we all have to wake and try forgetting everything
Darkeye wrote down her answer. "I thank you for your candor Isla.
So do I. I hope this doesn't happen again so soon. I know you probably won't believe me, but I can say that I have tried. You don't seem like you're trying to hide anything. I do have one more very uncomfortable issue, though, to be honest. The attack on Stormbreak. How much did you know about it or was it an act of Wessex and Amun alone? If so, will there be consequences for you for causing so much damage? Who else was involved in the attack I only know of Ronin Wessex and Amun. But I know there were more." He was curious how the lady in front of him would react to this.
Darkeye nodded at her and also took a sip of the tea. "Yes I have and I would like to ask for something else in return if I may. I want to start a new village where everyone is welcome and the war is over. Can you allow me to do that, or is that not in the spirit of the Ascended Ones?" He told her his plans openly and hoped for a good reaction.
"I have no reason to hide anything from you. You came here in good faith - lying doesn't help the Ascendeds' cause," Isla says with a smile. The attack on Stormbreak, then, is taken with the seriousness that it deserves, the medic lowering her gaze. "I knew nothing about it. Amun and Wessex were involved, as well as another Ascended, Edrei, who died. And another Ascended demigod, Nate. He has been taken out of action as a result of the attack."
Sighing, she tucks a lock of hair behind her ear. "As far as I'm aware, it came about as the result of a death within our ranks. The group acted rashly, and the consequences were great for everyone involved," she says. "I am meeting with Ronin to discuss the next steps. Neither of us want war over this."
His plans earn a raise of an eyebrow and a small shrug. "I know Halo has tried to be neutral in the past, but unsuccessfully. I have no qualms if you wish to make a place like that. The Wilds are open for everyone."
sooner or later, we all have to wake and try forgetting everything
Darkeye winces at Nate's name and looks up from his book. "I only know Nate in passing, but he seemed like a good man... I'm sorry about the deceased, I'll pray for her if I may. Of course, this is a political mess now, will it have consequences for Amun or Wessex? Or will you take the blame upon yourself and suffer the consequences?" He knows that this was an unpleasant question, but it showed what a leader she was.
Darkeye pokes through his beard."It was, unfortunately, a clear act of war if you judge it neutrally Isla that's the difficult part. It's going to take a lot of political know-how to straighten this out. May I now give you some advice from me, if I may?" He asked curiously.
Darkeye nodded. "I want to leave that opportunity open for people like Cam. People who have no interest in this war. It may fail, but I want to create a safe haven for people who want to live in peace away from the war."
"He is a good man," Isla says of Nate, giving a gentle nod. "As for consequences, luckily both Amun and Wessex seem very aware of how foolish a venture this was. I will take the political consequences, but they are willing to do their part, should Stormbreak require it. Within reason, of course."
Smiling to Darkeye, Isla inclines her head to him. "I am a former duchess in a kingdom - I know how to play the game of politics. But please - any advice you have would be received gratefully."
A place away from the war seems almost like a fairytale now, but Isla can only respect Darkeye for considering it to begin with. "I know of a few people who would be grateful for such a place, me included. It looks as though you have a lot of work cut out for you, Darkeye."
sooner or later, we all have to wake and try forgetting everything
04-13-2022, 05:21 PM (This post was last modified: 04-16-2022, 02:00 PM by Darkeye.)
DARKEYE
Darkeye looked up as she said this and shook her head slightly. "To be honest, Isla Amun is not aware of this. I've had a conversation with him about it and he seems to understand the whole thing as a righteous act. An eye for an eye. He may have calmed down, but keep an eye on him, he is a danger to himself and everyone who is important to him. Otherwise, the war will come sooner than expected." That had been worrying him for a long time, maybe the situation was different. "If you want, I can show you the conversation with him. I wrote it down. "
He cleared his throat and took another big sip of tea. "It's just a suggestion. Publicly announce that this was an act of a few and that there will be consequences for these people. These should also follow. Innocent people have died. A military hospital was brought down. But the most important thing is a ceasefire, you need time to plan your next steps, you need a better defense." Darkeye had looked at the surrounding walls and found them to be not strong enough.
He nodded to her again and began to speak again. "Would you support such an undertaking and send people to help me achieve said? If you really want to leave all this behind, that would be the condition that you accompany me." he said without making it sound insulting.
Isla tilts her head at the mention of Amun. She smiles softly to hear Darkeye's analysis of her fellow Ascended, though she softly shakes her head at the offer. "That will be quite alright," she says. "Thank you, though. I do plan to speak with Amun soon, along with the others. So I will make sure he understands the ramifications of what has happened."
His advice is sound, and the Remedy nods her agreement. "A ceasefire is one of my primary objectives," she agrees. "Thank you. I will take all of that on board."
As for the settlement out in the Wilds, Isla inclines her head again. "I would, if they would also agree to go," she says. "And of course, I would help as well. I cannot say that we could move there permanently though, not until things are more calm. The Hollowed Grounds might need better defences, but it is still the safest place for the Ascended at present."
sooner or later, we all have to wake and try forgetting everything
Darkeye cleared his throat. "I thank you for that he is a good man but unfortunately he has lost too much in a short time. No one can take that. I plan to talk to Voice about it, I hope our conversation goes well. I'll deal with it directly after our talk." He didn't want to show how nervous he was.
He smiled a little. "I'm glad you had something similar in mind. I will be going back to Strombreak soon to repair the damage that has been done. A kind of reparation. I want to show that it is possible for all of us to live in peace." He knew it wasn't easy. That sounded very naive. But at least he wanted to try.
Darkeye nodded. "Of course, I would allow it. The thing is, Isla, the people who come with me are allowed to leave, but as soon as they go to war, they are no longer welcome. I would be glad to have you with me. But the condition is that you would have to leave all this behind. I don't think you want to do that."
Isla's smile is sad, because she also believed once that peace was possible. But as time marches onwards and the altercations between the Ascended and the rest of Caido grow more deadly, she's starting to realise how futile it all is. "I wish you all the luck in the world," she murmurs with a gentle nod.
Those same thoughts are what make Darkeye correct in his assumptions, and Isla nods again to him. "It's less that I don't want to and more that I literally cannot," she says. "Unlike the other races, we are fully reliant on the Voice. Without her we will perish. So if we choose not to fight and she is destroyed, it doesn't matter if we are living in peace at the time. We are dead regardless."
sooner or later, we all have to wake and try forgetting everything
Darkeye nodded to her at this comment. "I am aware of that. But you couldn't kill them last time, why should this time be any different? The problem is that many of their actions, even if they were accidental or unintentional, have drawn the ire of many people. They want to take it out on you even if the order is no longer. But there will be people who will demand retribution for this." He spoke openly with her.
Darkeye tried to explain it to her calmly."There are other people here who could take your place if you don't want to be the leader anymore. I will gladly take anyone who can abide by the rules. I will soon start this work, you can still come after me if you change your mind".
